Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra
(Also known as:) Saddharma Pundarika Sutra (Taisho Tripitaka
0262)
Translated into Chinese during the Yil, Tson Dynasty by
Kumarajiva
Translated into English by the Buddhist Text Translation
Society
Chapter Two --
Expedient Devices
At that time the World Honored One arose serenely from Samadhi and
told Shariputra, "The wisdom of all the Buddhas is extremely
profound and unlimited. The gateway to this wisdom is difficult to
understand and difficult to enter. It cannot be known by any of the
Sound Hearers or Pratyeka Buddhas.
"What is the reason? The Buddhas have, in the past, drawn near to
countless hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands of millions of
Buddhas, exhaustively practicing the unlimited Dharmas of the Way
of those Buddhas. They are forging ahead with courage and vigor and
their names are known everywhere.
"They have accomplished the most profound Dharma, one which has
never been before, and speak of it according to what is
appropriate, but its purport is difficult to understand."
"Shariputra, from the time I realized Buddhahood, I have, by means
of various causes and conditions and various analogies, extensively
proclaimed the verbal teaching. With countless expedient devices, I
have guided living beings, leading them to separate from all
attachments.
"Why is this? The Thus Come One has already perfected his expedient
devices and his knowledge and vision.
"Shariputra, the knowledge and vision of the Thus Come One is vast,
great, profound, and far-reaching. He has profoundly entered,
without boundary, the unlimiteds, the unobstructeds, the powers,
the fearlessnesses, the Dhyana concentrations, and the Samadhis of
liberation, accomplishing all those Dharmas never had
before."
"Shariputa, the Thus Come One is able to make various
discriminations, cleverly speaking all Dharmas. His speech is
gentle and delights the hearts of the multitudes.
"Shariputra, essentially speaking, the Buddha has fully
accomplished all of those unlimited, boundless Dharmas which have
never been before."
"Stop."
"Shariputra, there is no need to speak further. Why is
this? As to that foremost, rare, and hard-to-understand Dharma
accomplished by the Buddha--only the Buddhas and the Buddha can
exhaust the Real Mark of all Dharmas, that is to say, with regard
to all Dharmas: the suchness of the marks, the suchness of the
nature, the suchness of the substance, the suchness of the power,
the suchness of the function, the suchness of the causes, the
suchness of the conditions, the suchness of the effects, and
suchness of the retributions, and the suchness of the ultimate
equality from beginning to end."
At that time in the assembly there were Sound Hearers, Arhats
with outflows extinguished, Ajnatakaundinya and others, twelve
hundred persons, as well as Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and
Upasikas who had brought forth the resolve to become Sound Hearers
and Pratyeka Buddhas. They all had the following thought:
"Why, now, does the World Honored One repeatedly praise the
expedient devices saying, 'The Dharma obtained by the Buddha is so
extremely profound and difficult to understand and the purport of
his speech is so difficult to know, that none of the Sound Hearers
or Pratyeka Buddhas can grasp it.' The Buddha has spoken of but one
principle of liberation and we have already obtained this Dharma
and arrived at Nirvana. Now, we do not understand his
intention."
At that time Shariputra, knowing the doubts in the minds of the
four-fold assembly, and himself not yet fully understanding,
addressed the Buddha saying, "For what reason has the World Honored
One repeatedly praised the foremost expedient devices of the
Buddhas and the extremely profound and wonderful Dharma which is
difficult to understand? From the past onwards I have never heard
the Buddha speak in such a way. Presently, the four-fold assembly
all has doubts. I only pray that the World Honored One will expound
upon this subject: Why has the World Honored One repeatedly praised
the Dharma which is extremely profound, subtle, and hard to
understand?"
At that time the Buddha told Shariputra, "Stop! Stop! There is
no need to speak further. If this matter were spoken of, the gods
and humans in all the worlds would be frightened and led to
doubt."
Shariputra again addressed the Buddha saying, "World Honored One, I
only pray that you will speak it. I only pray that you will speak
it. What is the reason? In this assembly are countless hundreds of
thousands of myriads of millions of Asankhyeyas of living beings
who have, in the past, seen the Buddhas. Their roots are keen and
their wisdom bright. Hearing what the Buddha says they will be able
to revere and believe it."
The the World Honored One restated his meaning in verse,
saying,
Stop, stop. It must not be spoken.
My Dharma is wonderful beyond conception,
And those of undue pride who heard it,
Surely would neighter revere or believe it.
At that time, Shariputra further addressed the Buddha, saying,
"World Honored One, I only pray that you will speak it; I only pray
that you will speak it. Presently, within this assembly are those
who are my equal, hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of
them. Life after life they have been transformed by the Buddha.
People such as these will surely be able to revere and believe you.
They will gain security and great benefit within the long
night."
Thereupon the World Honored One told Shariputra, "Since you have
earnestly requested three times, how can I not speak? You should
now listen attentively, think upon it well, and be mindful of it; I
will explain it in detail for your sake."
As he said these words, five thousand Bhikshus, Bhikshunis,
Upasakas, and Upasikas in the assembly rose from their seats, made
obeisance to the Buddha and left. What was the reason? The roots of
their offenses were deep and grave and they were of such
overweening pride that they claimed to have obtained what they had
not yet obtained and to have certified to that to which they had
not yet certified to. With faults such as these they could not
stay. The World Honored One remained silent and did not restrain
them.
The Buddha then told
Shariputra, "My assembly has now been cleared of its branches and
leaves and only the trunks remain. Shariputra, it is excellent that
those of overweening pride have left. You should now listen well
and I shall speak it for you."
Shariputra said, "So be it, World Honored One. I wish joyfully to
hear it."
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